


David and the Englishmen

by eafay70



Category: Football RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Girlfriends/No Wives, Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, M/M, Rating May Change
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-01
Updated: 2018-06-06
Packaged: 2018-12-22 14:48:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 6,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11969622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eafay70/pseuds/eafay70
Summary: David Silva is a lonely songwriter whose recent breakup has left him with plenty of musical inspiration, but nobody to play with.Joe Hart is a charismatic performer who doesn't know what he wants.James Milner is a talented musician who's never written a song in his life.





	1. Of Shofars and Chauffeurs

**Author's Note:**

  * For [myblueworld](https://archiveofourown.org/users/myblueworld/gifts).



> I found myself thinking of you today, so I decided to finish and post this chapter. <3

"YOU!" The soulpatched Spaniard lunged toward the very tall Swede, while the slightly shorter Spaniard ducked out of the way. "You're the scumbag who's been sleeping with my wife!"

Zlatan - the very tall Swede - scoffed. "I sleep with no wives. Only husbands."

"Then HOW did your personalized shoes wind up in my limo?!" Villa - the soulpatched Spaniard - pointed to the very shiny shoes on the table next to him.

"As I said, I sleep with husbands." Zlatan grabbed the shoes possessively. "Your chauffeur is married, you know."

"I'll fire him later for sleeping on the job!" Villa scowled. "But then who, WHO, has been sleeping with my wife?!"

Zlatan arched an eyebrow. "Why haven't you been sleeping with your wife?"

"Because every night, when I return home, I hear someone else already sleeping with my wife!"

"That would be me." Silva - the slightly shorter Spaniard - grinned cheekily at his countryman. "She missed sleeping with a David."

"YOU!" Villa grabbed Silva by the neck. "How dare you try to interfere with my plan!"

**_"CUT!"_ **

A very angry Portuguese man stormed into view. "That is NOT the line, and you know it, because YOU wrote it, Villa!"

"It's okay, Jose," said Zlatan. "He wrote a very stupid line anyway."

"Not the point, Zlatan," replied Jose.

"Much as I hate agreeing with Jose, I have to agree with Jose." A shiny-headed Spaniard walked into view. "We still have to film the other half of the crossover, which means we still have to drive to the other side of town. Villa, you know better than to change lines like that."

"I'm sorry," said Villa. "I guess I'm just distracted."

"By what?" Pep - the shiny-headed Spaniard - asked.

Villa sighed. "The studio in New York called. They want to do a remake of the show there: 'The Shofar Calls' instead of 'The Strum of My Heartstrings', so religion instead of music."

"What's a shofar?" Zlatan asked on behalf of himself, Jose, and Pep.

"Apparently it's a ram's horn used in Judaism every day for a month leading into New Year's, which apparently is in the fall around harvest time." Villa shrugged. "All I know is, they want me to go and adapt it."

"You would think he'd want me to come, too, since I'm his boyfriend." Silva scowled in disgust. "But I'm not good enough."

"I told you to expect that!" Villa argued. "What do you know about internal conflicts faced by members of a minority religion?"

"About as much as you do!"

Zlatan held up a hand, and both Davids shut up. "We are not currently in New York filming about a religion none of us practice. We are currently in Manchester filming about music. And we all want to be able to film about the cutthroat world of movie stardom later today so that we don't have to film it tomorrow. So, let's go with the very stupid line."

And so they did. Silva managed to bury his anger for a few hours more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The month that Villa mentions began Aug. 23. I haven't been to synagogue to hear the shofar once yet for very complicated and personal reasons.


	2. Meeting a Mascot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joe has an audition for a new gig. It goes...not as he expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today has been one of those days where I really want a mascot to give me a hug and 'tell' me everything's going to be okay. So I decided to have Joe get such a hug and message.
> 
> A very special thanks to myblueworld for sharing this with me a long time ago: <http://thebluesideofmyworld.tumblr.com/post/142202250904/zinedinez-okay-so-the-aston-villa-mascot-has>
> 
> I'm actually not entirely certain if the mascot pictured is named Hercules. If I'm wrong, let me know and I'll correct it. :-)

Joe parked in the Blue Moon City pub parking lot, grabbed his guitar from the seat next to him, and got out of the car. It was very, very strange to be at the pub in the morning; normally he arrived about half an hour before kickoff, maybe closer to forty-five minutes earlier if he was worried about parking for whatever reason. But 9:30 AM was something else entirely.

He walked toward the front entrance slowly, trying to calm down. This was his first audition for a steady gig in...well...a very long time, longer than he wanted to admit. Part of that came from having had a good job for years, but another big part of that came from fearing rejection, especially given how the good job had ended. But maybe, just maybe, this would turn out alright.

Joe peered through the window on the front door. He could see someone standing behind the bar, so he knocked on the door and waited. The figure waved at Joe and beckoned inside, so Joe opened the door and went inside. "I'm here to audition for the halftime gigs..." His voice faltered as he got a better look at the figure behind the bar. "You're...Hercules from Aston Villa?!" 

The mascot gave him a thumbs-up before walking around the bar and offering a paw to shake. Joe shook it politely with his free hand. 

"I've nothing against lions - the guitar's called Lenny because I'm from Shrewsbury - but I kind of expected the bartenders or someone like that to be here." Hercules scoffed and pointed to the picture above the stage. "Good point. Moonchester and Moonbeam should have a say in whoever's playing under their picture." The pub had some sort of official affliation with Manchester City FC, so it wasn't unusual for the mascots to visit on non-match days. (Yes, Joe came here on non-match days, too. The food was way better than what he knew how to cook, okay??) 

"But why aren't they here themselves, then?" The lion pantomined cringing in pain as he rubbed the side of his face. "Oh, they're visiting Ederson? Makes sense." Hercules nodded.

"Should I just set up on stage, then?" Hercules clapped happily, so Joe took the stairs to the stage and sat down on the stool behind the microphone. He then noticed Hercules holding out a pitcher of water with his head slightly tilted in question. "Uh, sure, I'll take a glass, thanks." The lion poured a glass and walked over to Joe, who took it from him carefully. 

Hercules then took a piece of paper out of his pocket and showed it to Joe, who read it out loud: "Imagine that you are playing the halftime show here in the pub for the Champions League final: City vs. United. No goals have been scored, and no cards have been shown; the match has been very, very boring. Introduce the first song of your set, then play it."

Joe took a sip of water, then placed the glass on the ground. "Good evening, fellow Cityzens! As long as there's time on the clock, there's hope in our hearts. I have a few tunes picked out already, but just let the staff know if you have a request. I'll get us started with the song we all want to sing." It was, of course, Blue Moon.

Hercules applauded. "Thanks." Joe took another sip of water and asked, "Should I play more?" The lion shook his head. "Then...?"

Hercules took another piece of paper out of his pocket. Joe sighed when he saw what the paper was. "My résumé. I presume you want to ask about the circled part?" Hercules nodded, quickly joining Joe on the stage. "The end of my longtime job...well, I was a music teacher at a school, like it says. One of those fancy international places - my first principal was Italian, a great guy, taught me a lot about working a crowd. He left, and the new guy came from Chile. He was great, too, always let us teachers be creative. But he left. The current guy, a Catalonian, wanted me to do more private lessons on different instruments. And I just don't have that skill set, so I left. And the way it played out...I couldn't bring myself to look for another teaching gig. So I traveled, tried to figure out what I wanted...no luck."

To Joe's surprise, Hercules gave him a big hug, nuzzling his neck a little. After about a minute, the lion stepped back and gave him two thumbs up. "Thanks," Joe said. "I guess you'll tell the humans what to tell me, and they'll be in touch?" Hercules nodded and escorted Joe to the door, where they shared another hug before Joe left.

For the first time in a long time, Joe felt hopeful - still lost, to be honest, but hopeful that he'd find his way again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Melhoras, Ederson! <3


	3. Originality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James ponders what his lack of original ideas could mean.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by my ongoing war with writer's block. I call it a war because it's cost me my grad school dream.

James sat down on his sofa and began to strum his guitar. It had been another very long day at the music store where he worked, so he just wanted to relax. But when he realized that he was just playing arpeggios over and over, he frowned in disappointment - it was boring.

Today at the music store, a customer had asked James for help finding a birthday present for his son, who had just started guitar lessons. James had suggested a book of popular songs for guitar, but the customer had said no - what could James suggest for someone who wanted to write music? James had admitted that he'd never been able to write a song, and then he'd asked his coworker Adam to help out.

The conversation was still bothering James hours later. He'd never given much thought to his lack of original ideas before, but now he couldn't stop thinking about it. Why didn't he have what Adam had called "sparks of originality"? Was he really too boring to compose?

James furrowed his brow and tried to play a melody. It turned into "You'll Never Walk Alone" - stupid coworker Jordan with his stupid Liverpool ringtone!

He groaned in frustration, which prompted his dogs to trot up to him and stare in concern. "I'm boring and unoriginal," he told them. "But I'm bringing home the bacon - metaphorically as far as you're concerned - so I shouldn't complain."

If the tossing and turning he did that night was any indication, he didn't believe a word he'd said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the record, I don't really have a plan in terms of which footballers will be footballers and which ones won't, so suggestions are welcome! :)  
> Also, do we know James' dogs' names? I know they're Canaans, and I know that Joe has described them as "beasts."


	4. Steps in the Right Direction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David moves forward, with the eventual goal of moving on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As far as this fic's concerned, David Silva still has his marvelous hair. I don't know if that will prove important to the rest of this fic, but it matters here.

David stood on the bridge, looking out at the water. The full moon shone brightly in the sky.

_"Boa noite, David."_

David recognized the nasal accent immediately. "Good evening, Bernardo."

Sure enough, a short Portuguese man walked up to David. "Why are you not playing for her? She is so beautiful tonight."

_"A la luna no le gustan las despedidas."_

Bernardo gasped in shock. "Why are you saying goodbye?"

"I am no longer safe here. Villa wants my head - bankrupting his wife in the divorce will not satisfy his need for revenge. If I stay, I put the orphans at risk of his wrath."

"But if you leave, you put the orphans at risk of losing their home. The orphanage is your family's legacy!"

"Not quite, Bernardo." David turned to face the Portuguese man. "The orphanage has always belonged to the family, but the rules don't say it has to. The rules say that it must belong to someone whose name ends in Silva."

Bernardo gasped again. "Is this why you asked me here tonight?"

"Yes, it is." David picked up his violin, which had been resting at his feet. He played the so-called 'Orphanage Theme' for a few bars before offering the instrument to the other man. "When you came, all the orphans asked if we were family. We're both dark-haired and small, and we have similar values, not to mention the same name. Perhaps our ancestors were relatives separated by fate, perhaps not...but, please, Bernardo Silva..."

The newcomer took the violin and finished the theme. "Farewell, David Silva."

"Farewell." David walked down the bridge and disappeared from view.

**_"CUT!"_ **

Pep walked on the set and offered Bernardo a tissue. "You look like you're about to cry."

Bernardo wiped his eyes and took off running. "David! Wait!"

The Spaniard had reached the door leading to the parking lot. "The violin is yours now, my friend."

"Not without a proper goodbye." Bernardo pulled David into a hug. "I know Villa broke your heart by leaving for New York so quickly, but that doesn't mean you have to leave the show, too."

"It's time for me to do something very different," David explained. "I'm going to do more songwriting, more of the country stuff Villa never liked anyway. There's a pub with an open mic night after every City match, so I'll test out my songs there."

"Good luck, my friend." A tear made its way down Bernardo's cheek. "Don't be a stranger."

"I won't." David sighed as he stepped out of Bernardo's embrace. "Good luck, Bernardo."

When David reached his car, he saw a piece of paper under the wipers. He didn't read it until he was home.

_Buena suerte, mago azul. -- Pep_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know if you have specific character requests. =]


	5. New Faces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Joe's first night performing at the pub, and he's a nervous wreck. The mascots comfort him, as do two new faces at the pub.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wednesday night is the beginning of Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year), which means that the next couple of weeks will be very busy and very stressful for me. Writing might help, but I can't guarantee that I'll post anything.
> 
> John Stones appears by request of myblueworld. I haven't decided with whom, if anyone, to partner him.

Joe Hart was a proper Man City fan. He owned several years' worth of jerseys, he knew more about the history of the club than he knew about the history of his own family, and he had three season tickets at the Etihad so he could take his parents when they visited. (His parents rarely visited because he was way too loud at matches for their liking, but Joe purchased the two extra spots nevertheless.)

Being a proper Man City fan, Joe always memorized the matchday schedule within a week or so of its release. Therefore, when the owner of the Blue Moon City pub called with the date of his first halftime gig, Joe immediately remembered who the opponent would be - and had to force himself not to back out of the gig.

His first halftime gig at a pub officially affliated with Man City was on Derby Day at Old Trafford.

When Joe arrived at the pub about half an hour before kickoff, he was pleasantly surprised to receive a bear hug from two aliens. "Hey, guys," he managed to cough out. "I'm honored that you're here, I think? Or did John say you'd be here and I forgot?"

"I was under strict orders to keep it a surprise," the owner/bartender replied. "Moonchester, Moonbeam, take a step back before you squish him."

The aliens complied and led Joe to his usual booth. He smiled when a piping hot shepherd's pie was placed in front of him. "Thank you, Mr. Stones," he said politely.

"I hate this nametag," John groaned. "Just eat up and be ready to play at halftime."

Joe waited until Moonchester and Moonbeam began visiting other booths before digging into his meal. He could hear more and more people coming in for the match, which only made him more and more nervous. Why had he thought that this would be a good idea?!?!

_"¿Señor?"_

Joe looked up from his food to see a dark-haired man standing in front of him. "I'm sorry, I don't speak Spanish. Wish I did."

And never in Joe's life had he wished that more, because the man standing in front of him was very handsome indeed. His hair looked impossibly fluffy, and his smile lit up the room. And those eyes...Joe would get lost in them if he wasn't careful.

"I, eh..." The man pointed behind him, and Joe noticed the mascots standing there. "There are a lot of people, and they tell me to sit with you. I think they want you to take it easy, no?"

The mascots nodded in agreement, pantomiming deep breaths. Joe took a couple of deep breaths of his own and pointed to the seat across from him. "Have a seat. Derby days are the worst here."

"Thank you." The man sat down, placing his guitar on his lap. "I am David. I wanted to see the match before the open mic night."

"I'm Joe." He offered his hand, which David shook. "I've been coming here for years, but this is my first night as the halftime performer."

"You will be great!" David hadn't stopped smiling, to Joe's amazement. "It is my first open mic night - I had no time before. But I am excited for something new, and you should be, too!"

Before Joe could respond, Moonchester and Moonbeam were back, this time with a more firmly-built man who asked, "Might I join you two? They said you had room."

This man looked familiar to Joe, but he had no idea why. Certainly Joe would remember having met this man, with his lovely light-brown hair and piercing eyes. Quite honestly, he was just as handsome as David, but in a very different way.

"Yes, sit!" David made room for the newcomer. "I am David. The mascots put me here, too."

"I'm Joe." He tried not to stare at the newcomer, who didn't seem to recognize him.

"James." The man smiled softly. "I'm new here. My roommates don't let me watch the Derby at home anymore. I accidentally broke a lamp after the Great Balkan Goal last season."

"Kolarov's pass to Dzeko was amazing," Joe recalled. "I was sitting right here when it happened."

"Joe says he is the new halftime person," David explained.

"That would explain the nervous glances," James observed. "Just relax."

"Thanks...both of you." Joe smiled. He decided to figure out why he recognized James later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As mentioned before, character requests/ideas are welcome! =D


	6. Do you feel my heart saying, "Hi"?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James hasn't felt this way in a long time. He can't decide if he likes it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know, it's been nearly a month! I'm back, don't worry!!
> 
> Turns out that a relatively good source of motivation for this fic is a wrongly allowed goal. I refer, of course, to my beloved Malaga, who saw Barcelona score despite the ball going out of play beforehand. ><

James was shocked that his performance went well.

For one thing, he hadn't been able to stop staring at the blond Englishman with whom the mascots sat him. James had a soft spot for lean, and this man was very tall and lean. His smile was also kind, though his eyes sparkled with mischief. And the conversation had flowed naturally, as if they'd first met years ago.

That was the problem: This man reminded James of the one who'd gotten away years ago - the boy whose kiss had confirmed James' sexuality before he really understood what that meant.

This man couldn't be that boy, though. That boy was named Charles, and this man was named Joe. It had to be a trick of the light or an effect of the very strange match.

How strange was the match? Well, when Joe took the stage for his halftime set, he wound up looping the introduction to "Blue Moon" for nearly two minutes while the mascots tried to calm down the crowd, who wanted to march to Old Trafford and scalp the referee for allowing the opening goal despite the ball having gone out of play beforehand. In an attempt to get the crowd feeling better, Joe followed "Blue Moon" with a self-composed ditty called "Zaba the Fab" in honor of the coach, who'd been unfairly sent to the stands not long after the Dzekolarov equalizer. It didn't work, so Joe went with "New York, New York" in honor of City's sister club clinching the playoffs. This did the trick, and everyone calmed down in time for the second half, which saw lots of Ederson saves and another Dzekolarov goal secure the win for City.

To make things even worse for James' nerves, David - the other man at the booth - absolutely nailed it with his open-mic performance of...well, James didn't know the name of the song because it was in Spanish, but it was amazing. James found the short Spaniard very cute, especially his fluffy hair. And, just as fate would have it, David was just as lean as Joe. How was James supposed to perform now?!

Somehow, he did. He played his favorite (admittedly boring) song and got applause from the remaining audience, plus a group hug from the mascots. He didn't pay attention to the remaining performances; he just sat in the booth and smiled at Joe and David, both of whom smiled back. It probably wasn't good for his heart to be beating so loudly, but James didn't mind.

Once the open-mic night ended, the three men walked out of the pub and towards their cars. David looked like he wanted to speak, but his phone rang, causing him to pout. (It was adorable.) "Hello?...You did WHAT?...I don't care whose fault it is, just tell me where I'm going!...OK, good, don't do anything even stupider, bye!" He sighed. "My friends are so stupid that two of them are in the hospital. I hope that we see each other here soon, yes?" James and Joe nodded. "Good. Have a nice night!" He got in his car and drove off.

"That actually makes things easier for me," Joe said. "There's not a lot of parking where I live. I wasn't sure you'd both find spots."

James arched an eyebrow. "You were going to invite us for a nightcap or something?"

"Yep, but now it's just the two of us," Joe laughed. "You coming?"

It reminded James way too much of Charles for him to do anything but nod.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title is from the song “Ring of Keys” from the musical “Fun Home.”


	7. Dealing with knuckleheads

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David's friends aren't very smart. He seeks their advice anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate to start this note with a complaint, but I have to be honest: I'm very disappointed that nobody said anything about my choice for City manager last chapter! =[ I'm referring to it again in this chapter in the desperate hope that somebody will like it...or at least be nice enough to tell me otherwise.

David couldn't help scowling as he drove away from the pub. It had been a lovely evening, thanks in no small part to the two handsome Englishmen with whom he'd shared a booth. He'd hoped to convince Joe and James to join him for coffee or something at his apartment, but instead Kun had called with the news that an on-set prank targeting Bernardo had gone wrong, landing Benjamin and Vincent in the hospital. And so, being a good friend, David was going to visit them.

Kun met David in the lobby. "I don't understand anything I've seen today," the Argentine complained as they walked to the elevator. "Starting with that mess of a derby."

"The match was unusual," David agreed. "Zabaleta should not have been sent to the stands." They got in the elevator.

"Leo called during the half and started arguing with Pep." Kun sighed sadly and pressed the '4' button. "I figured I'd do a runthrough while we waited, but it turned out Benjamin and Vincent wanted to do the 'false alarm during a shower' trick."

David groaned. The trick was straightforward: While the 'victim' showered, someone pulled the fire alarm, forcing the 'victim' to run outside in nothing but a towel. It was perfect when trying to get two pining idiots together, but Bernardo wasn't a pining idiot...right? "Did it work?"

"We'll never know." They exited the elevator and made their way down the very long hallway. "We'd just filmed a scene involving a pillow fort in the playroom. Benjamin and Vincent were so busy trying to be sneaky that they forgot to watch where they were going. So they tripped on the pillows." Kun paused in front of one of the rooms. "Ask them about it. I'm going to check in with Pep."

David walked in the room and facepalmed loudly. "How do you break your legs over pillows?!"

"Hey, at least I have good Kompany," said Benjamin cheerfully.

"This confirms what I said earlier," Vincent replied. "Your jokes have gotten much worse."

"Huh?" David arched an eyebrow in confusion.

"The doctor who saw to us was Dr. Purdue with a 'u' before the 'r,' like the university," Vincent explained. "So a joke about the heating system or being in the middle of nowhere would have been perfect. Instead, Benjamin asked what type of chicken would be on the menu tonight - but that's Perdue with an 'e' before the 'r,' which is obviously not the same!"

Benjamin pouted. David walked over and rubbed the Frenchman's head affectionately. "Would it make you feel better if I drew a shark on your cast and told you of my heart's woes?"

"YES!" Benjamin squealed and handed David a Sharpie. "Talk, you little wizard, talk!"

David began to draw. "You know that pub with open-mic night after City matches? Well, I went to watch the match there and play afterwards. It was really crowded, so the mascots sat me with this guy. And then they sat another guy with us."

"Which one are you already in love with?" Vincent asked drily.

"Both."

Benjamin gasped. "Both?! You go from joined at the hip with Villa to in love at first sight with two guys?!"

"Tell us more about them," Vincent prompted. "I'm very intrigued."

"Englishmen," David sighed. "One tall and blond with perfect hands, the other stocky and brown-haired with amazing arms. And they were so into each other but had no idea how to express it!"

"And you want to shove them together and stay to watch the results?" Vincent guessed. "Or you want to participate?"

"Both, I think?" David groaned. "I don't know! I don't even know if I'm over Villa!"

"Then don't rush things," advised Vincent. "And don't play matchmaker unless you're sure what you feel about each of them AND both of them."

"Aye-aye, captain," David chuckled. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Vincent laughed. "Now go make sure Kun isn't angry with his father-in-law. We all need Pep happy."

"Sure. Stay out of trouble, you two." David gave the Sharpie to Benjamin and left the room, wondering if the Englishmen would come to their senses without his help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Why are they targeting Bernardo?!" I hear you ask.  
> Just watch the recent training videos on Man City's YouTube channel - they started it!! I don't know why they started it, but they did!


	8. It's Starting to Make Sense

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joe figures out why James looks so familiar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm guessing that my foreshadowing a couple of chapters ago has made the revelation in this chapter very obvious. But hopefully this chapter's enjoyable regardless!

Joe drove carefully, making sure James could follow him. He didn't really know what he wanted to happen once they got to his place other than figuring out why James seemed so familiar - and he had no idea how to go about doing that.

At first, Joe had been under the impression that James hadn't recognized him. As the match had unfolded, however, Joe had caught James staring at him a few times, which had made Joe suspect that perhaps James did recognize him after all. Joe supposed it was possible that James simply found him attractive, but he decided to take the risk of figuring out if they knew each other anyway.

They parked outside of Joe's home and went inside. "Nice place," James said. "Looks cozy."

"Thanks." Joe led James to the kitchen. "What can I get you? Juice, soda water, chocolate milk?"

"Soda water, please," requested James. He looked over Joe's shoulder at the contents of the fridge and smiled. "Both lemons and limes, I see."

"I take both in my soda water," Joe replied. "You?"

"Both, actually. Learned it from a kid at music camp years ago."

It clicked. Joe slammed the fridge shut and stared at James. "You learned it from me."

"I don't think so." James sounded disappointed, but took a step closer to Joe nevertheless. "He was my first kiss. I remember it perfectly, including the name his group leader yelled so he'd keep up with everyone else."

"Charles. My real first name. I don't know why everyone at that camp insisted on calling me that when I made it clear I wanted to be called Joe."

James leaned forward and whispered, "Prove it."

The kiss was perfect, even with the handle of the fridge door poking Joe's back. When they paused to breathe, Joe whispered, "You were my first kiss, too. I'm starting to believe in fate."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Character suggestions are still welcome! =D


	9. An Unexpected Development

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joe and James have a date at the pub. They're surprised by what they see there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today was anxiety-inducing because Man City played West Ham. All I can say is that the rule saying players on loan can't play against their parent club saved my sanity.

With that kiss, James and Joe became boyfriends. They spent many an evening hanging out together, including but not limited to bedroom activities. James hadn't felt this happy in a very long time, and he got the impression that this was true for Joe as well.

Tonight was a midweek cup match, so James suggested going to the pub as a date night. Joe agreed since the pub was usually quiet for cup matches, and he turned out to be right. This was a good thing not only for James and Joe, but also the man running the place...who wasn't John.

"John was injured in an incident involving cupcakes," the dark-haired young man explained as he poured drinks. "I'm Kyle, his...roommate."

James was fairly certain Kyle wanted to use a different word, but he knew better than to press the issue. "You're doing great so far."

"Thanks." Kyle turned to address the people who had just entered. "What can I get you gentlemen this evening?"

"David?!" Joe's eyes went wide. "I didn't think you'd be here!" James could only blink in shock, having not expected David, either.

"Here I am," David smiled. Oh, that smile...James and Joe had discussed that smile surprisingly often, including the night before...

"Are these the two you mentioned?" The man who'd come in with David extended a hand when David nodded. "I am Bernardo Silva - no relation, thank goodness."

James and Joe shared a quick glance. They'd thought David was single, but maybe he just came across as flirty because of cultural differences? James couldn't help feeling a little disappointed as he shook Bernardo's hand. "I'm James Milner. This is my boyfriend, Charles."

"Joe," he corrected. "Joe Hart. Don't call me Charles, please."

"You're together?!?!" David and Bernardo practically squealed with joy.

"Yep." Joe kissed James on the cheek to prove it. "And that's the only reason he gets away with using that name." James blushed, still not used to having a boyfriend.

"This calls for a celebration!" David exclaimed. "Put their drinks on my tab!"

"No," a new voice boomed. James, along with everyone else in the pub, turned to the entrance and gasped as the voice continued. "Put everyone's drinks and meals on MY tab."

James' jaw dropped, as did most jaws. Moonchester and Moonbeam, who were escorting the owner of the voice to one of the booths, appeared very amused by the pub's reaction. Finally, Joe managed to say what everyone was thinking: "Pablo Zabaleta?! What are you doing here?!"

"The FA held up my ban from that red card, so I'm letting Mini-Zaba run the show on his own," the Man City legend explained. "The mascots told me we sometimes get celebrities here, and I see that's true - we have TV star Bernardo Silva and his former co-star David Silva!"

A couple people clapped, but the pub was mostly silent. "The show airs during Champions League matches," Bernardo explained. "That's why most of you have never heard it."

"And it's why we have DVRs," laughed Zaba. "Come join me, guys!"

Before James could really understand what was going on, he and Joe were being squeezed into Zaba's booth by David and Bernardo. "So, what's good here?" Zaba asked.

"Everything," Joe and James replied in unison.

"The mince pie," said David helpfully. "Bernardo, you should get the recipe. You love to cook."

"He cooks and you eat?" Joe quipped. It wasn't that funny, but James laughed anyway in support of his boyfriend.

"He wants to practice for his children," David said with that smile of his. "As their future godfather, I have to make sure it's good enough for them."

"So the rumor that you two are together is false?" Zaba asked what James (and probably Joe) had been thinking, albeit in a different wording.

"Very, very false!" Bernardo laughed as Kyle approached to take their orders. "I don't want a relationship."

Kyle shook his head. "You'll change your mind when you meet the one, I'm sure. Who wants kids without a partner?"

"I do." Bernardo looked annoyed, as if this question came up often. His face softened after a moment. "Anyway, when I meet the one, I'll adopt them."

Only then did James notice Moonchester and Moonbeam shaking their fists behind Kyle. Everyone at the table managed to keep a straight face until Kyle turned around and jumped at the sight. "I'm sorry! Please don't hurt me!"

"It's okay," Bernardo reassured the mascots. "I think he has learned his lesson." Judging by the way the mascots followed Kyle for the rest of the evening, they disagreed.

To James' pleasant surprise, the conversation flowed easily. It helped that Mini-Zaba guided the boys in blue to a win without resorting to last-minute equalizing. As Joe told James while they cuddled together that night, "That was interesting in the best way possible."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm guessing there will be at least three more chapters of this fic, but I don't really know. Ideas involving plot and/or characters will be greatly appreciated (like all feedback), but I'm not going to ship Bernardo with anyone in this fic because that would undermine the point of this chapter.


	10. Someone's Waiting to Love You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David and Bernardo feel feelings. (Seriously, I don't know what else to put as the summary.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry, I haven't turned into an all-hockey drabbler! I'm still paying attention to my football fics!!!
> 
> The title of this chapter is the last line of the song "Someone's Waiting for You" from the film "The Rescuers." I've had this song stuck in my head for roughly a week and didn't know what to do about it until I had an epiphany on the matter yesterday.
> 
> The person for whom I've written this knows why I've written this. <3
> 
> IMPORTANT: The Callum video to which I've linked in this chapter is very, very, very, very sad. If something sad might trigger you emotionally, then DON'T watch it. I happen to find this video helpful when I'm sad and need a good cry, but I recognize that it's not for everyone. I've done my best to write the chapter so you don't need to watch the video to understand the chapter, but it's okay if you have to not read this chapter for your own sake.

The speaker waited for the audience to stop applauding before continuing to speak, which meant he spent two minutes listening to the thunderous applause. "I've spent every year of my life hoping and praying that it would be a good year for our boys in blue, but I've never dreamt of a year this good for our boys in blue. It's an honor to be a part of it, and I promise to do everything in my power to make it happen. Thank you for all your support!"

["CITY, CITY, THE BEST TEAM IN THE LAND AND ALL THE WORLD!"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvAj5-EHIv4)

David couldn't help smiling as the crowd at the press conference chanted. He reached for the remote, but Bernardo shook his head. "They're showing his video. Pass the tissues"

Sure enough, the screen was now showing a very young Callum in the [video](https://youtu.be/z5itcBlO-QE?t=6m17s) which had endeared him to the world years earlier, before anyone could have imagined Mini-Zaba as assistant coach to Pablo Zabaleta. David placed the tissue box between himself and Bernardo, not bothering to hold back the tears. "They're leading City to a quadruple," David marveled. "It makes you want to stick around, no matter how bad life gets."

Bernardo nodded. "Life is...not so good right now."

"You said that when you called and asked if I'd watch the game here with you," David acknowledged. The TV was now showing the pundits, so David turned it off and turned to face Bernardo. "What is it?"

"I hate Valentine's Day," Bernardo said with a tired sigh. "I mean, I love it when fancy stuff like steak goes on sale, but I hate everything else about it. I hate being told that it's okay to be single because someday I'll have my one true love by my side and all the waiting will have been worth it. I hate the pitying looks, I hate the tables set for two no matter how many times I say that I'm not waiting for someone else at lunch, I hate...I hate it all."

David reacted in the only way he could think of: pulling Bernardo into a big hug. He hated the fact that a simple day on the calendar was making his dear friend so very unhappy, not to mention health problems in the family and even more chaos than usual at work. "Are you safe?"

"I think so," Bernardo mumbled. "There's a bunch of stuff I want to do, so I don't want to go, per se...I just want to not hurt."

"That makes sense," David said, patting Bernardo's back softly. "I want you to do everything you want to do. You deserve to feed a little Silva those really good fish cakes you made last weekend, and that Indonesian chicken stew from last month...and you need to tell the little Silva - or little Silvas! - all sorts of wonderful stories and give lots of hugs..."

Bernardo scoffed. "You mean your kids?"

"No, I mean your kids - my godkids." David squeezed a little tighter. "You were telling me just the other day about the adoption information session you wanted to go to, remember?" Bernardo shrugged silently. "Maybe you could make future Valentine's Day about the love for your kid or kids? Teach them that there's more than one kind of love, no matter what the world says?"

"Maybe." Bernardo sounded skeptical, but a little less upset, so David counted it as a tiny step in the right direction. "We'll see what happens."

"No matter what you choose to do or not do for Valentine's Day in the future, there's a small someone in the world waiting to call you Papai, maybe even more than one if you want," David whispered.

Bernardo nodded and smiled. _"Muito obrigado, meu amigo."_

_"No hay de qué."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've made it this far, consider yourself the recipient of a very big hug.


	11. Caring for Each Other

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joe has an idea for the pub. He and James get sidetracked while explaining it to David.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! :( Things have been busy and stressful, but hopefully I can get back on track with this fic!

The idea came to Joe in a flash: "We should get David to join in!"

"To join in what?" James looked up from his phone.

"To join in the halftime shows, of course!"

James arched an eyebrow. "What halftime shows, Charles?"

"At the pub!" Joe was grinning at this point. "Remember how Stonesy asked me if I had any ideas for the Champions League matches? Well, we three could play a gig!"

"David did say he knew guitar," James recalled. "And I liked playing duets with you last weekend. I bet having David with us would be fun."

"I'll ask him!" Joe took out his phone and placed the call. "Hello, David? It's Joe...We're good, thanks, how are you?...Well, I had an idea for the pub - are you sure you're alright?...Look, we have your address, it's really no problem...We'll be right there."

"What is it?" James asked as Joe put away his phone.

"David sounds terrible. He started coughing right as I was about to explain my idea. Apparently he's been under the weather for a couple of days."

"Let's go."

Joe and James reached David's door in record time. The Spaniard opened the door with a small smile. "I didn't think you would actually come."

"It looks like we came just in the nick of time," James replied. "I've never seen you this pale and tired."

"You're going straight to bed," Joe ordered as he and James walked inside and closed the door. David complied, with Joe a few steps behind. "That's your only blanket, David? You need more than that when it gets this cold."

By the time Joe had found a few more blankets for the bed, James was walking into the room with three steaming mugs and a kettle. "I made us all some tea. We can sit with you and watch something."

David nodded and took a mug. Joe sat on David's left, and James sat on David's right. They settled on reruns of a comedy about cops in America. Joe and James stroked David's hair as he drank several mugs of tea before falling asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ideas and feedback are always welcome!


	12. Putting It Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James has an idea...well, two, actually.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know, it's been months! But my real life has been hectic, and I wasn't sure how/if to let Man City's actual season affect this fic (especially since I'm a Liverpool fan).
> 
> This is the last chapter of this fic. That wasn't how I initially envisioned this fic; I thought there'd be chapters about visiting Villa in New York, or doing a cameo performance on Silva's old show, or...suffice to say, I had a lot of chapter ideas. But I think this is a good place to end the fic. Perhaps I'll do a sequel or something with some of those ideas, perhaps not.

James, Joe, and David were setting up for their very first halftime performance together. The match in question wasn't particularly significant, but the pub was crowded nevertheless - apparently David's former co-stars had heard about this performance and decided to make the occasion their wrap party for the season. And James couldn't help noticing Kyle checking his pockets every time he looked at John, as if he had something special for his boyfriend hidden there.

Speaking of 'boyfriend,' James could tell that Joe was thinking about what the two of them had discussed the night before. Joe had been very enthusiastic about James' idea, to the point where he'd needed to be convinced to wait until after the performance. James supposed that Joe might have been more cooperative on that point if he'd known about James' other idea, but that would have ruined the surprise.

And now that they were set up, it was time for the surprise. James tapped his microphone for feedback, then began to speak. "Good evening, everyone. This is our first show, and we're going to start with an original song of mine."

"We are??" David practically squeaked. "You wrote something, James?"

"And you didn't tell us, which means we haven't practiced?!" Joe scowled.

"It's easy, trust me." James strummed the opening chords, and sure enough, Joe and David figured out their parts quickly. 

The lyrics spoke of trying new things, being brave in the face of the unknown, and staying true to oneself - in other words, everything James was experiencing now. As the song ended, Joe kissed James softly on the cheek and pointed to the bar area, where John was staring downward in shock. James laughed and turned to face David, who was smiling as brightly as the sun.

"YES!" John screamed, causing everyone to look at him. "YES, I'LL MARRY YOU, KYLE!"

The pub burst into applause as Kyle stood up and kissed John passionately. James decided to use the moment to act on the idea Joe already knew about. "David?" he whispered. "Joe and I have something to ask you."

"What is it, James?" David asked, still smiling.

"We were wondering if you'd like to..." James paused to pick the right phrase. "...be with us?"

David looked confused, so Joe jumped in. "James and I would like you to be our boyfriend."

"Three in a relationship?" David's gaze moved between James and Joe several times. Finally, he nodded. "Okay. Let's do it."

Joe laughed in relief as James kissed David on the nose in gratitude. "Shall we get on with the show, then?"

David spoke into the mic. "And now, with that wonderful classic known as 'Blue Moon,' we are David and the Englishmen!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you'd like some kind of sequel to this fic, do let me know and I'll see what I can do. :) Thank you for all of your feedback on this fic!!

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback is love. <3


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